Disney’s live-action Snow White remake, led by Rachel Zegler, faces backlash for her comments on the classic.

Rachel Zegler’s portrayal of Snow White in Disney’s live-action remake has sparked controversy due to her critiques of the original film. (Disney via AP)(AP)

Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White has sparked controversy, largely due to comments made by its lead actress, Rachel Zegler. While her portrayal of the iconic character seeks to offer a modern take, departing significantly from the 1937 animated classic, her remarks about the film have ignited debate.

Zegler’s controversial remarks about Snow White?

In an interview with Variety, Zegler pointed out how her version of teh classic fairytale is different from the original as it focuses on themes like leadership and self-discovery. The modern version is contrary to the older version which runs on the age-old narrative of a damsel in distress who is waiting for a prince to save her.

She explained to the outlet, “I just mean that it’s no longer 1937, and we absolutely wrote a Snow White that’s not gonna be saved by the prince, and she’s not gonna be dreaming about true love.”

She added, “She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and the leader that her late father told her she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave, and true. And so, it’s just a really incredible story for young people everywhere to see themselves in.”

Why did Zegler’s remarks on Snow White blow up into controversy?

Zegler’s comments on the original version of Snow White went viral where she described the classic tale as outdated. She went ahead to call the prince in the story a “guy who literally stalks her,” as reported by Marca. In a separate interview with ExtraTV, she restated her views about the classic version.

Zegler told the media outlet, “The original cartoon came out in 1937, and very evidently so. There’s a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird, weird. So we didn’t do that this time. It’s an inner journey that she goes on to find her true self and she meets a lot of people along the way that make the journey really incredible.”

However, her comments resulted in outrage among fans of the original film who viewed her comments as disrespectful towards the classic tale and the legacy created by Disney. They argued that the West Side Story actor’s comments disregard the impact of the original Snow White film which was loved by generations. What particularly angered the fans was her comparison of the prince to that of a stalker.

Zegler faces backlash for her ethnicity amid Snow White release

Zegler also faced criticism from people because of her ethnicity as she was cast as Snow White. Many objected that she was not fit to play a character that was historically portrayed as pale skin while Zegler is a Latina actress. Talking about the backlash, she revealed that it escalated to a point where people showed up near her residence and hurled profanities at her, as reported by Marca.

She shared, “For being brown. For having brown skin. For playing Snow White. There was a lot of harassment from a certain group of people-they were showing up at my apartment and screaming profanities.”

However, the backlash did not fade Zegler’s excitement about playing the Disney princess. She also expressed how the new version of Snow White aims to restore the heart of teh original tale while also making the story reasonable for the young audience.

She expressed On Good Morning America, “It was the honour of a lifetime. I think every young person dreams about a phone call like that. This one is certainly extra special as a huge Disney fan.” She added, “To get to bring her to life in such a unique way and such a special way, it’s just a beautiful opportunity, and I’m very honoured.”

Rachel Zegler expressed her dismay over Trump’s 2024 election victory on Instagram in November, last year.

Following Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, Rachel Zegler, star of Disney’s live-action Snow White, shared her heartfelt reaction on social media. She took to Instagram to voice her concerns about Trump and his supporters—comments that later sparked controversy and overshadowed her role in the highly anticipated remake.
Following Trump’s 2024 election win, Rachel Zegler expressed heartbreak and concern on social media, criticising his supporters(@rachelzegler/Instagram, Pool via AP)

Zegler’s anti-trump comments after the US elections 2024

In Zegler’s scathing remarks against Trump, she described his incoming president for a second term as “another four years of hatred, leaning us towards a world I do not want to live in.” She deleted her Instagram Story after the 2024 US elections but not before sharing her opinions on social media.

She wrote, “ shouldn’t be this shocked. but i am. i am heartbroken for my friends who awoke [in] fear this morning. and i am here with you. to cry, to yell, to hug. to wax poetic on how the left continues to fail us in forging a new path forward. this loss should not have been. and it certainly should not have been by so many votes.”

The West Side Story actor continued, “May Trump supporters and Trump voters and Trump himself never know peace.” In a follow-up post, she described the then-president-elect as a “man who threatens our democracy” and called the massive support he received as a “deep, deep sickness” in the country.

Zegler added, “It is terrifying the number of people who stand behind what this man preaches. it is a foolish subscription to a false sense of security, of masculinity, of intelligence, of patriotism, and of humanity. there is no help, no counsel, in any of them. i could go on. i won’t. i feel sad. you probably do, too. f**k this.”

Zegler later issued an apology for her remarks

On Thursday, November 14, 2024, Zegler posted another story on Instagram where she apologised for her previous remarks about Trump. She wrote, “Hi everyone, I would like to sincerely apologize for the election post I shared on my Instagram last week.”

She continued, “I let my emotions get the best of me. Hatred and anger have caused us to move further away from peace and understanding, and I am sorry I contributed to the negative discourse.” She concluded her apology with, “This week has been emotional for so many of us, but I firmly believe that everyone has the right to their opinion, even when it differs from my own. I am committed to contributing positively toward a better tomorrow.”

Her apology came on the heels of Megyn Kelly’s request to Disney to remove Zegler from the Snow White film because of her anti-Trump remarks. On an episode of her SiriusXM radio show, she said, “Hello, Disney! You’re gonna have to redo your film again because this woman is a pig, and you fired Gina Carano for far less than this nonsense,” as reported by The Independent.

She continued, “She has to go. I’m sorry, Disney, she has to go right now… There’s something wrong with this person. Picture this: A Broadway actress who said, ‘F Biden supporters, may Biden and Kamala never know peace.’ That person would be fired so fast it would make your head spin.”